Smart power source

• US 9,639,724 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2015
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Duracell U.S. Operations, Inc. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Duracell U.S. Operations, Inc. (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bourilkov, Jordan Todorov, Specht, Steven Jeffrey, Coronado Hortal, Sergio, Stefanov, Konstantin Dimitrov, Ayoz, Suat
• Primary Examiner(s): McNally, Kerri
• Assistant Examiner(s): Akhter, Sharmin
• Application Number:
  US14/882,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20160034733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 340 101- 106, 3405391, 34053919, 34053922, 340571, 3405721-5729, 340585
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/84 Accessories, not otherwise provided for, for absorbent pads
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/424 having an electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8473 for diagnostic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8479 including electric or magnetic devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8482 including numeric control, e.g. using computer
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 1/14 giving a distribution function of a value, i.e. number of times the value comes within specified ranges of amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/305 Panel mounting of instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/007 Data loggers attached to transport containers for perishable products, e.g. food or medicines
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 3/04 in respect of time
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/126 comprising organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/48792 Data management, e.g. communication with processing unit for in vivo diagnostics A61B5/0002; transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 15/00 Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object record carriers for use with machines having a detectable tag or marker G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/077 Constructional details, e.g. mounting of circuits in the carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07773 : Antenna details antennas for wireless devices, e.g. RFID tags, in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 : General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10009 : sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10178 : including auxiliary means for focusing, repeating or boosting the electromagnetic interrogation field comparable booster antennas integrated on the record carrier itself G06K19/07794
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 : the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 : Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 : used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 : Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 : with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence

Abstract

An article having a conductive body, a magnetic diverter, and a communication device is described. The magnetic diverter is positioned on an outer surface of the conductive body. The magnetic diverter covers a substantial portion of the outer surface of the conductive body. A communication device is positioned on the outer surface of the diverter or may be recessed therein. The communication device is capable of signal coupling with a reader.

Claims

1. An article comprising:

a conductive body;

a magnetic diverter positioned on an outer surface of the conductive body, the magnetic diverter covering a substantial portion of the outer surface of the conductive body; and

a communication device;

wherein the communication device comprises at least one of (i) an RFID tag, (ii) a resonant RF circuit, and (iii) a smart sensor;

wherein the communication device comprises a first antenna and a second antenna, the second antenna being in electrical communication with a phase shifting circuit,

wherein the phase shifting circuit shifts the voltage of the second antenna by about 90 degrees,

wherein the first antenna has a first portion and a second portion, and

wherein the first portion is positioned on an outer surface of the diverter and encloses the article in a sweep of about 180 degrees and wherein the second portion is longitudinally offset from the first portion and encloses the article in a sweep of about 180 degrees which is opposite the sweep of the first portion.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the magnetic diverter comprises a recess, and wherein the communication device is disposed within the recess.

3. A system comprising the article of claim 1 and a reader capable of signal coupling with the communication device, the system further comprising a passive repeater.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the passive repeater is positioned between the article and the reader.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the article comprises the passive repeater.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the reader comprises the passive repeater.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein the second antenna has a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is positioned on an outer surface of the diverter and encloses the article in a sweep of about 180 degrees and wherein the second portion is longitudinally offset from the first portion and encloses the article in a sweep of about 180 degrees which is opposite the sweep of the first portion.

8. The article of claim 1, wherein the first antenna has a first portion enclosing the article in a sweep of about 180 degrees and a second portion longitudinally offset from the first portion and enclosing the article in a sweep of about 180 degrees which is opposite the sweep of the first portion, and wherein the second antenna has a first portion enclosing the article in a sweep of about 180 degrees and a second portion longitudinally offset from the first portion and enclosing the article in a sweep of about 180 degrees which is opposite the sweep of the first portion.

9. The article of claim 8, wherein the first antenna first portion and the second antenna first portion are offset from one another by about 90 degrees.

10. The article of claim 8, wherein the first antenna second portion and the second antenna second portion are offset from one another by about 90 degrees.